Quotes About Enlightenment

Meetings with Remarkable Men

Wolfe Tone proposed that Anti-Catholicism belonged to 'the dark ages of superstition', not 'the days of illumination, at the close of the eighteenth century'.

I saw in myself a leader who was so sure of the brilliance of his own ideas that he couldn't allow brilliance in anyone else's; a leader who felt he was so 'enlightened' that he needed to see workers negatively in order to prove his enlightenment; a leader so driven to be the best that he made sure no one else could be as good as he was.

To free a man from error is to give, not take away

But to be constantly asking 'What is the use of it?' is unbecoming to those of broad vision and unworthy of free men.

Reason is a light that God has kindled in the soul

transcendental volleyball

Now I understand," said the last man.

For the last time, David Bowman slept.

He had no wish to face whatever lurked in the unknown darkness, just beyond the little circle of light cast by the lamp of Science.

I confess that I have been as blind as a mole, but is is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all.

Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons with the greatest for the last.

Life Infinite Beyond words, this no-thingness within, Which I've become. So to remain Only one thing's needed: Zen sitting. I think, breathe with my whole body - Marvellous. The joy's so pure, It's beyond lovemaking, anything. I can see, live anywhere, everywhere. I need nothing, not even life.

I found that no matter what unpleasantness I found myself involved with, if I stopped and asked myself, "Why have I created this? What am I learning from this?" the circumstance became not a tragedy but an enlightening experience.

A student, filled with emotion and crying, implored, Why is there so much suffering? Suzuki Roshi replied, No reason.

When you accept everything, everything is beyond dimensions. The earth is not great nor a grain of sand small. In the realm of Great Activity picking up a grain of sand is the same as taking up the whole universe. To save one sentient being is to save all sentient beings. Your efforts of this moment to save one person is the same as the eternal merit of Buddha.

Surely you've been sent from the heavens to teach us mortals what beauty is.

The more the fruits of knowledge become accessible to men, the more widespread is the decline of religious belief.

I do not in the least underestimate bisexuality. . . I expect it to provide all further enlightenment.

In my mind, the most noble way to leave your mark on the world is to expand man's understanding of the world.

the hallmark of the Enlightenment was off to the races.

I was too enamored of truth ever to mourn lost illusions.

Never, in any case, is any effort of true attention lost. It is always completely effective on the spiritual plane, and therefore also, in addition, on the inferior plane of the intelligence, for all spiritual light enlightens the intelligence.

I make not therefore my head a grave, but a treasure, of knowledge; I intend no Monopoly, but a community, in learning; I study not for my own sake only, but for theirs that study not for themselves.